The Wetter the Better

Contents

Host

Co-hosts

Broadcast

BBC North West for BBC1, 20 April to 14 September 1991 (21 episodes in 1 series, as part of The 8:15 from Manchester)

BBC North West for BBC2, 4 October 1992 to 10 January 1993 (15 episodes in 1 series)

Synopsis

Originally shown as a segment within the Saturday morning kids show The 8.15 from Manchester and a replacement for It's Tough at the Top, the game was set in Blackpool's Sandcastle Leisure Pool.

Two school teams consisting of three pupils and a teacher took part in the following rounds:

Round 1: The pupils sat on seats above a pool of water each faced 3 questions which they had to answer correctly to score points. If they didn't give the correct answer to a question, they were ejected into the water. If they answered all 3 correct, it was up to the audience to shout either 'Save' or 'Soak', and Ross King would decide the majority, which was usually to soak! (The second series' outcomes was decided by a spinning wheel) This would have been fun were it not for the fact that the kids were in a TWTB shorty wetsuit and hence not particularly hard done by a good soaking.

Round 2: The number of points scored in Round 1 by one team were converted into plastic ducks, and these were positioned on a platform to be defended by the teacher of that team, in what seemed to be an American Football outfit. Meanwhile, the opposing pupils were given about 30 seconds to throw sponges to knock the ducks down. The roles were then reversed. The number of ducks lost by each team were then deducted from the points scored in Round 1.

Round 3: A team game in which the pupils were given a race against time. One example is a game that consisted of a pupil from each team throwing 'non-bouncing footballs' onto a platform in a swimming pool, while the other two pupils used nets catch as many as possible in the time given. The teams scored a set number of points for each football caught.

Round 4: An on-the-buzzer round where the pupils faced general knowledge questions to score points, while the teachers (wearing cap and gown) each sat under a tank of water, which was filled up even more, according to the number of questions answered. At the end of the game, the water was poured onto the teachers.

Between each round, Sonia would announce the scores and explain the rules of the next round.

Catchphrases

"What 'Sonia' scoreboard? It's Sonia!"

"Do you want to save or soak?"

(At the end of the show): "...And now, the two teachers are about to find out that the school rule always is....The Wetter The Better!"